I received a copy of football coach Rick Neuheisel’s contract today, and in addition to the $1.25 million he is guaranteed in each of the five years, he can earn an additional $500,000 annually in bonuses.
Much of the bonus money is tied to on-field performance, with 12 earning him an extra $100,000, an undisputed Pac-10 title worth $100,000 and an appearance in the BCS title game worth $200,000.
He can also make $50,000 for being a national coach of the year and $50,000 for academic performance.
The clauses for remaining in control of the program and the responsibility for adhering to NCAA rules is the same as any other contract.
It means all of the contracts of the staff are signed, except for offensive coordinator Norm Chow. Part of the reason that continues to be slow is because Chow is still owed $2 million over the next two seasons by the Tennessee Titans, but the amount UCLA pays him will be deducted from that figure. And, according to sources, there is a fair-market clause in Chow’s contract with the Titans, so UCLA cannot just pay him a small amount and have Tennessee pay the rest.
That said, sources are telling me Chow’s UCLA salary will be between $300,000-$350,000. He agreed to a three-year deal.